Five Stories: The White House Vows To Not Back Down On Climate

“More than a dozen states have pledged to wage a political and legal fight against President Barack Obama’s climate change rule for power plants. But the utility regulators in almost all of those places are nevertheless drafting plans to comply with EPA’s mandates,” says Politico.

“Some businesses that back President Barack Obama’s plan to curb greenhouse gases are making a late lobbying push to add an element similar to a cap-and-trade program,” reports Renewable Energy World. “With the administration set this week or next to unveil its final rules to cut emissions from coal and natural gas plants, groups for companies such as Johnson Controls Inc., Alstom SA and AES Corp. have pressed officials to include a carbon market so that costs don’t surge.”

“New product offerings are helping utilities improve their customer service, from sleek online services (like Opower’s new customizable NextWeb platform), to advanced sensors that help avoid power outages, to energy storage that can reduce strain on the grid and save customers money,” reports Greentech Media.

“Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell on Wednesday launched the first high-level review of the federal government’s coal program in more than three decades, noting concerns with the program’s environmental impacts and fairness to taxpayers,” according to Think Progress.

“President Barack Obama’s top aide vowed on Wednesday that the White House won’t yield to Republican attacks on its landmark climate change rule, even as the administration prepared to soften a deadline for states to cut the greenhouse gases from their power plants,” reports Politico.

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